NIHILISMINPOST-WORLDWARIIAMERICAANDITSEFFECT TOWARDESTHER’SVIEWINPLATH’STHEBELLJAR
KarinaClaudyaWulandari(karina_claudyawulandari@yahoo.co.id)
EnglishLiteratureStudyProgram,FacultyofLanguagesandArts,YogyakartaStateUniversity
Abstract
Theaimsoftheresearchare(1)tofindoutwhataspectsofnihilismpresentedinPlath’sTheBell Jar,and(2)torevealhowtheyaffectEsther’sviewtowardherlife.Toanswertheobjectivesofthe research,theresearcherusedNihilismtheorybyNietzscheandbackgroundofAmericanconditionin Post-WorldWarII.
Themethodoftheresearchisdescriptivequalitative.TheobjectoftheresearchwasTheBellJar bySylviaPlath.Thedatawereintheformofclausesandsentences.Thedataweregatheredfromreading andre-readingthenovel,takingnotes,classifyingthedata,collectingthedata,labelingthedataand categorizingthedata.Theresearcherusedfourstepsinanalyzingdatawhichwerereadingandre-reading thecategorizeddatafromthetableofdatasheet,analyzingthecategorizeddatabasedontherelated theory,makinganinterpretationandaddingdescription,andapplyingthemeasureoftrustworthinessof thedatabydoingtriangulation.Togainthecredibilitydata,transferability,dependabilityand confirmability,theresearcherdidpeerdebriefing
Thefindingsshowthattherearethreenihilismaspectsinthenoveli.e.consumerculture,sex revolution,andtechnologicalinventions.Itshowsthatsocietycreatestheiridolsandfallsintothegateof nihilism.Then,thisconditionaffectsEsther’sthoughts,feelings,andbehaviors.Theresearcherfoundtwo attitudestowardnihilismwhicharenegativeself-imageaspassiveattitudeofnihilismandgaining freedomasanactiveattitudeofnihilism.
Keywords:nihilism,passive,active,America,TheBellJar
INTRODUCTION
Nietzsche,aGermanphilosopher,saw thedevelopmentofscienceandknowledge grownradically.Hepredictedthatthere wouldbeacrisisofhumanlifeinthenext twocenturies.Itwasaculturalcrisiscalled nihilismthatNietzschefeltattheendofthe 19thcenturyespeciallyinEuropeanculture. Hementionedthatnihilismisthecollapseof allaspectsoftheworldincludingreligion (moral)andknowledge(Sunardi,2011:3335).ThiswasagainstChristianmoralsthat hadbeenholdupbyWesternpeople.
Furthermore,seeingthedangerofnihilism, Nietzsche(1968:17)saysinhisbook,The WilltoPower,therearetwoattitudesof nihilism.Firstistobepassiveortoaccept nihilismbylivingwithpessimism.Secondis tobeactivewhichreversesthehighest valuesbyreconstructingit.
Thenihilistsorthosewhodonot believeinthemoralandvalueconceptfeel theirlivesaremeaninglessandhaveno purpose.Insuchcondition,theybeginto feelpessimisticabouttheirlives.Many factorswhichcomefrominternaland
externalmakepeoplebecomepessimistic andtakethemtothegatesofnihilism.The fallofpersonintonihilismcanbeseenfrom thedesireortheactofsuicide.Nietzsche (1968:143)saysthatsuicideisanactof nihilism.Woodward(2002:52)statesinhis paper,nihilismisnotonlyanexistentialand psychologicalstatethatanindividualcan experiencebutalsoasymptomofsociety. Thenihilisticconditionistheconditionof societyinparticulartime.Itrefersto symptomaticofthedeclineoftheWest culture,forexampleistheconditioninPostWorldWarIIinAmerica.
Americanhadmagnificenceandhigh technologygoods.Atthesametime,media likenewspaperandtelevisionwerealso growingrapidly.Manylaborswenttowork tofulfilltheirneedsmeanwhileyoung peoplewenttocollege.Thereasonthatthey workedandwenttocollegewastoget moneyandtoaffordahighliving.People changedtheirlifestylewithsuchasfine eating,drinking,parties,andshopping.
Intraditionalfamily,fatheristhe breadwinnerwhilemothershouldtakecare forthechildren.Althoughthemothercould work,shewasrestrictedbydomestic responsibilities.Whentraditionalfamily’s standardisdifficulttofulfill,itbrings peopleintonihilismabyss.Itmakesthemno longerconformedtosocialvaluesand becomespessimisticandevenrebellious.
Thus,manypeoplebecomedepressedand commitsuicide.
Postmodernistsbelievethatfactsare simplyinterpretationandtruthisnot absolute.Knowledgeisknownasmediated byculture.Itmakespeopledeterminetheir wayoflifesuchasvalues,attitudes,and thoughtswithoutthetraditionalvaluesor religiouscourse.Thevaluesofreligion begintofadeandarenolongertobethe mainthingsintheirlife.Finally,theylive againstreligiousthoughtswhichtheyhave known.ItcanbesignifiedthatAmerican societybecomesanihilisticsociety.
Likephilosophy,literaturealso examinesahumanlifeincludingvaluesand morals.Sinceliteratureismediathatthe authorsusetoconveytheirideas,itmay containtheirphilosophyandviewoflife. SylviaPlath,anAmericanpoetandnovelist, isoneoftheauthorswhoseworkshave nihilistictheme.TheBellJardescribesthe stateofnihilismexperiencedbyabrilliant, talented,19-year-oldgirlwhoisfallinginto anihilismabyss.Thenovelissetinthelife ofAmericansocietyinthe1950s.Esther Greenwood,themaincharacter,comesto NewYorkfromBoston.Infact,the environmentinEsther’shometownthat forceshertoenduretraditionalvaluesalso givessomeburdentoher.Therefore,aftera longtimeofdilemma,Estherrealizesthat thetraditionalvaluesdonotguaranteeher
life.Shealsofeelsthatherlifeis meaningless.
Regardingtothefacts,theresearcheris eagertofindtheissueofnihilisminthe novel.Theresearcherwouldliketoknow theaspectsofnihilismthatarepresentedin thenovelandhownihilismaffectsthemain character’spointofview.
Nietzsche'stheoryofNihilismfocuses ontherejectionofvalues,meanings,and desiresandalsorevaluationofvalues.Itis anideaofthedeclineofthemeaningsof life.Thereasonisbecausethereisno answerandnoaimoflife.Nihilismcanalso bedefinedasthecollapseofallvaluesand meaningswhichencompassallareasof humanlife.Thewholeaspectscanbe dividedintotwo:religion(includingmorals) andknowledge(Sunardi,2011:35).The causesofnihilismarevalue,moral,and decadence.Nihilismdoesnotonlyaffect one’spsychologybutalsothesociety. Nietzsche(1968:17)saysthatnihilism attitudeisambiguous.Therearetwokinds ofattitudeswhicharepassiveandactive nihilismPassivenihilismisadeclineofthe powerofthespirit.Itisfollowedwith depressionandsuicideattitude.Meanwhile, activenihilismisasignofanincreased powerofthespirit.Theattitudeistoreverse avalue.
RESEARCHMETHOD
SincetheresearcheranalyzedNihilism inSylviaPlath’sTheBellJarthatbrought outthephenomenaofNihilismaspectand itseffects,theresearcherassumedthe qualitativemethodwasmostsuitable methodtogivedeeperunderstandinginthe formoftextualdescription.Inthisresearch, thesourceofdatawasPlath’sTheBellJar inwhichthedatawereintheformofclauses andsentences.TheBellJarisamodern classicnovelthatwaswrittenbyan Americannovelist,SylviaPlath.Itwas publishedin2005byHarperCollinandhad 20chaptersand244pages.
Theresearchalsousedadditional referenceswhichwereintheformofbooks, e-books,journals,andwebsitesrelatedto thetopicoftheresearch.Theresearchused Nihilismtheorywhichwastakenfrom Nietzsche’sTheWilltoPower(1968),some additionalbooks,aswellasjournalsabout nihilismandAmericanconditiontosupport theanalysis.
Theresearcherusedatleastfoursteps inanalyzingthedatainthisresearchwhich werereadingandre-readingthecategorized datafromthetableofdatasheet,analyzing thecategorizeddatabasedontherelated theory,makinganinterpretationandadding description,andapplyingthemeasureof trustworthinessofthedatabydoing triangulation.
FINDINGSANDDISCUSSION
Theresearcherfoundthatthereare nihilismaspectsinthenoveli.e.consumer culture,sexrevolution,andtechnological invention.
ConsumerCulture
SincetheendofWorldWarII, economicdevelopmenthasinfluenced people’sthoughtandbehaviortobecome consumptive.Theyspendtheirmoneyto buygoodproductsandservicesinorderto fulfillthehighstandardofliving(Sitkoff, 2000:77-78).Fromthenovel,itcanbeseen thatpeoplehavedesirebothinproductsand servicesthatlaterbecometheirnewidols.
In1950s,thedevelopmentsoffashion grewrapidly.NewYorkwasaplacethat becomescenteroffashionatthattime.The narrationbelowtellsthatEsthercomesto NewYorkfromherhometown,Bostonas shewonwritingcontestheldbyfashion magazinecompany.There,shelivesin hotelwithotherelevengirlswhoalsowon thecontest.Thecompanygivesthemprizes suchasinternship,payment,balletticket, fashionshowticket,hairstylingandchances tomeetsuccessfulpeople.Thiscondition influencesEstherandtheothergirlsto becomepossessiveintheproductsand services.
Thereweretwelveofusatthehotel. Wehadallwonafashionmagazine contest,byrewritingessaysandstories andpoemsandfashionblurbs,andas prizestheygaveusjobsinNew Yorkforamonth,expensespaid, andpilesandpilesoffreebonuses, likeballetticketsandpassesto
fashionshowsandhairstylingsata famousexpensivesalonandchances tomeetsuccessfulpeopleinthefield ofourdesireandadviceaboutwhat todowithourparticular complexion.(Printedinboldmine) (Plath,2005:3)
Besidesleadingtoconsumptive behavior,theeconomicdevelopmentalso leadspeopletobematerialistic.Peoplethink howtogetmoneyorhowtolivewell becauseitwillbringthempleasureand happiness.Moneybecomesanewidolof people.LundbergandPollak(2015:30) statethatthereasonpeoplegotocollegeand getajobistoearnmoney.Estheris persuadedbyhermothertostudyshorthand becauseitcanmakealotofmoney.Esther’s motherknowsthatEstherlikestowriteso Esther’smotherthinksifEstherstudies shorthand,shecanwriteandalsocanmake alotofmoney.
Bytheendofsuppermymother hadconvincedmeIshouldstudy shorthandintheevenings.ThenI wouldbekillingtwobirdswithone stone,writinganovelandlearning somethingpracticalaswell.Iwould alsobesavingawholelotof money.(Printedinboldmine)
(Plath,2005:121)
SexRevolution
Fromthenovel,itcanbeseenthat Americansocietyslowlymovestoward revolutionwhichissexrevolution.Thereare twotypesofsexrevolutionwhicharethe premaritalsexrelationshipandthesamesex relationship.
Peoplewhobelieveinreligion thoughtsandtraditionalvaluesarenot allowedtohavesexbeforemarriage. However,becauseofdevelopmentof knowledgeandculture,somepeoplecannot keeptheirbelief.Below,thereis conversationheldbyEstherandher boyfriend,Buddy.Fromthenarration,it canbeseenthatBuddyteasesEsthertosee himnaked.Estherissurprisedbecause Buddyisknownasagoodboywhois obedienttotraditionalvaluesandreligious thought.Inaddition,Buddycomesfromthe familythatalsobelievesintraditionalvalues andreligion.EvenEsther'sgrandmotherand motheralwayspraisehimlikearolemodel.
Suddenly,afterIfinishedapoem,he said,“Esther,haveyoueverseena man?”ThewayhesaiditIknew hedidn’tmeanaregularmanora maningeneral,Iknewhemeanta mannaked.“No,”Isaid.“Only statues.”
“Well,don’tyouthinkyouwould liketoseeme?”
Ididn’tknowwhattosay.My motherandmygrandmotherhad startedhintingaroundtomealot latelyaboutwhatafine,cleanboy BuddyWillardwas,comingfrom suchfine,cleanfamily,andhow everybodyatchurchthoughthewas amodelperson,sokindtohis parentsandtoolderpeople,aswell assoathleticandsohandsomeand sointelligent.(Printedinboldmine) (Plath,2005:68)
Thesamesexrelationshipmeansthe relationshipbetweensamegenderorsex. Estherremembersthescandalinherdorm.
Sheknowsthattherearegirlsinherdorm whohavethesamesexrelationships.
Andasshestretchedoutonmybed withasillysmile,Iremembera minorscandalatourcollege dormitorywhenafat,matronlybreastedsenior,homelyasa grandmotherandapiousReligion major,andatall,gawkyfreshman withahistoryofbeingdesertedat anearlyhourinallsortsof ingeniouswaysbyherblinddates, startedseeingtoomucheach other.Theywerealwaystogether, andonesomebodyhadcomeupon themembracing,thestorywent,in thefatgirl’sroom.
“Butwhatweretheydoing?”Ihad asked.WheneverIthoughtabout menandmen,andwomenand women,Icouldneverreallyimagine whattheywouldbeactuallydoing. (Printedinboldmine) (Plath,2005:219-220)
TechnologicalInvention
Actually,Post-WorldWarIIcanbe saidasincredibleerawherethe developmentofeconomy,culture,and knowledgegrewrapidly.However,the developmentcanleadpeopleintothegateof nihilism.Technologicalinventionsinthat eraweretransportation,massmedia,and advancetreatment.There,peoplehavenew idolssuchasmassmediaandadvance medicaltreatment.
Mediaincludestelevision,thecinema, video,radio,photography,advertising, newspapersandmagazines,recordedmusic, computergamesandtheinternet.Mass mediaimpliesthatitreacheslargeaudiences (Buckhingham,2003:1).Mediaisoneof
technologicalinventionsthatfunctionasa mediumofcommunicationorsourceof informationforpeople.InPost-WorldWar II,massmediawereintheformofbillboard, magazine,newspaper,radioandtelevision.
JoanwhoreadsEsther’ssuicidecase inanewspaperalsotriestofollowherby attemptingsuicide.Theyhavethesame case,i.e.theyareinterestedtocommit suicideafterreadingsuicidestoriesin newspapers.
“Ireadaboutyou,”Joanwenton. “Nothowtheyfoundyou,but everythinguptothat,andIputall mymoneytogetherandtookthefirst planetoNewYork.”
“WhyNewYork?”
“Oh,Ithoughtitwouldbeeasier tokillmyselfinNewYork.” (Printedinboldmine)
(Plath,2005:199)
Besidesmassmedia,advanced medicaltreatmentmustalsobeconsidered. Thehighratesofdepressioninfluencethe expertstofindwaystocurethepatients.In thenovel,theexpertsbelieveadvanced treatmentcanhealorcangivean improvementtopatient.
Thefirstkindoftreatmentis electroconvulsivetherapy.Itisakindof treatmentthatsendselectriccurrentsto brainthroughthehead.Estherexperienced thistherapyatDoctorGordon'shospital. ThedoctorasksEsthertoundergothe electroconvulsivetherapynotonlyoncebut forseveraltimes.
Thisconditionillustratesthatpeople becomecrazyaboutknowledge.Fromthis point,itshowsthatpeoplefallinto decadencewheretheychoosewhatisgood orbadlikeDr.Gordonwhokeepstelling Esthertoundergotheelectroconvulsive therapywithoutknowingEsther’scondition. Dr.Gordonusestheadvancedtreatment withoutconsideringEsther’scondition becausehelovesandpraisesthetechnology.
“Afewmoreshocktreatments, Mrs.Greenwood,”IheardDoctor Gordonsay,“and“Ithinkyou’ll noticeawonderfulimprovement.” (Printedinboldmine) (Plath,2005:145)
Theresearcherfoundthatnihilism aspectswhicharecreatedbysocietyaffect Esther’sthoughts,feelings,andbehaviors. TheresearcherfoundthatEstherhastwo attitudesofnihilismwhicharenegativeselfimageaspassiveattitudeofnihilismand gainingfreedomasactiveattitudeof nihilism.
NegativeSelf-ImageasPassiveAttitudeof Nihilism
Thefirstattitudetowardnihilism showedbythecharacterispassivenihilism wherethedeclineandrecessionofthe powerofspiritleadpeopleintoan unacceptabledecadencesituation.Hence, decadenceistheattitudeofnotdaringtosay ''yes''inlife.Peopleliveinturmoil, emptiness,andpessimism(Sunardi,2011: 47).AccordingtoBarret(1997:18), postmodernistsbelievethatfactsaresimply
interpretationandtruthisnotabsolute.They believethatknowledgeisknownas mediatedbyculture.Itcanbesaidthatthere isnoabsolutemoralandvaluesinceno absolutetruth,then,thisconditionbrings peoplebeingpessimisticintheirlife. Therefore,itleadspeopletohavenegative self-imagelikeEstherGreenwood,themain characterinthenovel.Esther’snegative self-imageisinfluencedbyaspectof nihilismin1950sasdescribedinbelow.
Esther’snegativeself-imagecanbe seeninherindecisiveattitude.Esther comparesthestoryaboutfigtreesgivenby thecompanywithherlifestory.
Isawmylifebranchingoutbefore melikethegreenfigtreeinthe story.Fromthetipofeverybranch, likeafatpurplefig,awonderful futurebeckonedandwinked.Onefig wasahusbandandahappyhome andchildren,andanotherfigwas EuropeandAfricaandSouth America,andanotherfigwas ConstantinandSocratesandAttila andpackofotherloverswithqueer namesandoffbeatprofessions,and anotherfigwasanOlympiclady crewchampion,andbeyondand abovethesefigsweremanymore figsIcouldn’tquitemakeout.Isaw myselfsittinginthecrotchofthis figtree,starvingtodeath,just becauseIcouldn’tmakeupmy mindwhichofthefigsIwould choose.(Printedinboldmine) (Plath,2005:77)
WhenEstherhasrecoveredfromher depression,herattitudechangesintoactive nihilismwhereshegainsfreedom.She changestoactivenihilismwhenshethinks
thatshehasafreedomtomarrythewrong personjustbecauseofsex.Furthermore, activenihilismdoesnotonlyseethroughher thoughtbutalsothroughheractioni.e.usea birthcontrol,losehervirginitywithaman shehasjustmet,andalsobecomesa consumerist.Herlifeisstillmeaninglessbut shechoosestocelebrateandenjoyit.
GainingFreedomasActiveAttitudeof Nihilism
Thesecondattitudetowardnihilismis activenihilisminwhichitisasignofan increasedpowerofthespirit.Itisthe alternativethatNietzscheproposesagainst thenihilismwithoutrejectingit.
Infact,Estherhaspassedpassive nihilismwhichbringsherintoadeep depression.Thisdeepdepressionis influencedbyaspectsofnihilismthatare believedbysociety.Fortunately,her conditiongetsbetterwhenshereceives mentaltreatmentsincludingelectroshock therapyandtalktherapywithdoctorshe believes.
BehindDoctorNolanIcouldseethe bodyofawomanwearingarumpled black-and-whitecheckedrobeand flungoutonacotasifdroppedfrom agreatheight.ButbeforeIcould takeinanymore,DoctorNolanled methroughadoorintofresh,blueskiedair.Alltheheatandfearhad purgeditself.Ifeltsurprisinglyat peace.Thebelljarhung, suspended,afewfeetabovemy head.Iwasopentothecirculating air.
(Printedinboldmine)
(Plath,2005:215)
CONCLUSION
Theresearcherfoundthatthereare nihilismaspectsinthenoveli.e.consumer culture,sexrevolution,andtechnological invention.Itcanbesaidthatnihilism aspectshappenedduetothehighstandardof livingandthenpeoplecreateandworship theiridolorgod.Peoplebelieveinmorals andvaluesandfallsintodecadence,then, thisbringspeopleintothegatesnihilism whichismeaninglesslife.
WhenEstherhasrecovered,her attitudechangesintoactivenihilismin whichshegainsfreedom.Sinceactive nihilismisaformofcelebration,Esther feelsthatthebelljarisrisenup.It symbolizesthatshewantstofacetheworld. Inotherwords,theadvancedmedical treatmentalsocausesEsthertobecomean activenihilism.
REFERENCES
PrintedReferences:
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Buckingham,David.2003.“Questioningthe Media:AGuideforStudents” .A MediaEducationCurriculumfor TeachersintheMediterranean,pp. 1-15.
Lundberg,ShellyandRobertA.Pollak. 2015. TheEvolvingRoleof Marriage:1950-2010.Futureof Children.25:2.pp.29-50.
Nietzsche,Friedrich.1968.TheWillTo Power.Kaufmann,W.ed.New York:RandomHouse,Inc.
Sitkoff,Harvard.2000.PostWarAmericaA StudentCompanion.NewYork: OxfordUniversityPress,Inc.
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